While the nation and the world remain in shock after the Princess of Wales announced her cancer diagnosis, the mother-of-three herself will stoically continue her treatment and recovery at home.
Kate, 42, said during her speech to royal fans around the world on Friday evening that the past few months have been “incredibly tough” for the family. But as she ‘grows stronger’ away from the public gaze, she can count on a strong inner circle to aid her recovery – including her sister Pippa Middleton, with whom she shares an incredibly close relationship.
Pippa, 40, has been by her sister Kate’s side both publicly and privately throughout her life, and now lives just a stone’s throw from the princess’s home at Adelaide Cottage on the Windsor Estate.
She was introduced to the world as Kate’s maid of honor at her wedding to Prince William in 2011 when she carried her sister’s train up the stairs to Westminster Abbey and even sparked romance rumors with her brother-in-law, Prince Harry, due to the giggles the pair shared . on the day.
But after the royal wedding, Pippa has been a rock for her sister, albeit living a quieter life than the Princess of Wales – especially since moving to Berkshire with her husband James Matthews and their three children Arthur, Grace and Rose moved.
Pippa Middleton will no doubt be by Kate’s side during her recovery from cancer treatment as the pair have a very close relationship (pictured on Pippa’s wedding day in 2017)
In September, just before Pippa’s 40th birthday, it was reported that she and James had swapped their £17 million home in Chelsea for a quieter property in the county of Berkshire, where she and her siblings spent much of their childhood.
As children, Kate and Pippa, who are less than two years old, bonded over their shared love of exercise and sport. The couple was best known for enjoying hockey, tennis and athletics while they were both at Marlborough College.
The sisters’ mother, Carole, previously revealed a glimpse into the girls’ childhood in an interview with the Telegraph.
Speaking in 2018, the owner of now-defunct company Party Pieces revealed that as a working mother she instilled a strong work ethic in both Pippa and Kate, who were similarly focused on their studies at school.
The sisters have been incredibly close since childhood and were often spotted in London in their twenties when they shared a flat in Chelsea.
When they weren’t at school, Carole said the sisters had been doing ‘a lot of modelling’ for Party Pieces, revealing: ‘Catherine was on the cover of one of the catalogs blowing out candles. Later she did some styling and set up the First Birthday side of the business. Pippa did the blog. I still value their ideas and opinions.”
The sisters remained close when they reached university age and both chose to study in Scotland: Pippa in Edinburgh and Kate in St Andrews (after a short period in Edinburgh itself).
Once they graduated from college, the siblings moved to the Big Smoke, where they shared an apartment together in Chelsea.
Pippa and Kate, both avid tennis fans, have been spotted in the Royal Box at Wimbledon several times over the years
In 2019, Kate and Pippa sat in the Royal Box with Kate’s sister-in-law, the Duchess of Sussex
In her early 20s, Kate worked for Jigsaw and Pippa embarked on a PR and events career, the sisters frequented London’s nightlife and were often pictured together visiting clubs favored by high society in the 1990s.
Although Pippa was previously described as the more ‘outgoing’ of the two sisters, she remained a pillar of support for Kate during the princess’s engagement to Prince William.
Shortly before the wedding, a source told the Daily Mail: ‘It’s all Kate, Kate, Kate for now because (Pippa) is her closest ally and, truly, they are best friends. But even if that wasn’t the case, Kate would have trouble trusting anyone who wasn’t related.”
As they grew older and big sister Kate married into the royal family, their nights out turned into trips to sporting events such as Wimbledon – where the pair were often spotted together in the Royal Box.
In 2019, the sisters shared a laugh with Kate’s sister-in-law, the Duchess of Sussex, at the Royal Box.
Although Kate’s life has changed significantly since she married Prince William, Pippa has previously revealed that their sisterly relationship has not been affected by the Princess of Wales’s role as a senior royal.
Speaking to Today in the US in 2014, Pippa said she and Kate “spend a lot of time together”, despite the “pressures” her sister faces in her public role.
Pippa added: ‘We still do a lot together as a family and I think the most important thing for all of us is to have a really close family, where we can be normal to each other and treat each other normally. And that kept us all, you know, glued to the ground.”
The second Middleton sibling also revealed that she can call Kate whenever she wants a little “girl talk,” and that the pair have a “normal, sisterly relationship.”
She said: ‘We are very close. And you know, we support each other and get each other’s opinions and stuff.”
After Pippa shot to fame in her Alexander McQueen bridesmaid dress at William and Kate’s 2011 royal wedding, which was watched by millions around the world and held at Westminster Abbey, Middleton’s younger sister once again downplayed the significance of the event , which proved that Kate’s royal wedding status doesn’t deter her, nor does it affect their relationship.
She told NBC: “It sounds funny to say, but we saw it as a family wedding. And actually, maybe I didn’t realize the magnitude of it until afterwards. We all took on the role, as any family would.”
While Kate has stepped up her role as a senior working royal in recent years, Pippa has continued to support her older sister.
She has attended the Princess’s Carol concert at Westminster Abbey every year since Kate hosted the event – and even took part in a show of solidarity at the concert two years ago.
In December 2022, with the date of the Christmas event falling on the same day Harry and Meghan’s explosive Netflix series landed, Pippa was one of several women in Kate’s inner circle who gathered around the princess as they all arrived at Westminster Abbey in the same clothes. colored outfits – a shade of burgundy.
It’s likely the outfits were planned ahead of the Netflix series, but the image of solidarity was striking amid the explosive accusations the Sussexes have made against Kate and William.
Now that Kate announces to the world that she has been diagnosed with cancer, she will undoubtedly lean on her sister more than ever.
A source told the Time: ‘The three siblings are incredibly close… Pippa not only as a sister, but also as a best friend who she can confide in. They are extremely loyal to each other.”
The newspaper noted that the pair had shared a trip to the Meribel ski resort with their spouses and children last winter – something that had been kept out of the public eye.
Royal insiders have told the Daily Mail that the family will ‘come back stronger’ from the shock of both the King and Princess being diagnosed with cancer.
And with her loyal and loving sister by her side, royal fans can rest easy knowing she has the very best support from a strong unit.